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The present invention relates generally to communications hardware and equipment. More particularly, the invention is a partition for routing a plurality of fiber optic communications cables into a high-density cross-connect cabinet wherein the partition provides improved access and incremental strain relief.
With the need for increased communications capacity, greater demands are being placed on the hardware and equipment utilized to route communications cables. The need for increased capacity necessarily requires that additional communications cables be routed into high-density cross-connect cabinets. At the same time, there is the ever present design requirement to minimize the space occupied by such cabinets while maintaining the same, or an improved, degree of access to the communications cables and the cable connections. These conflicting objectives, namely increasing the communications capacity of the cross-connect cabinet while minimizing the space occupied by the cabinet, presents a difficult challenge to those tasked with routing an ever greater number of communications cables with the same, or improved access to the communications cables and the cable connections.
In addition, certain communications applications require that multiple fiber optic communications cables entering the cross-connect cabinet at the same location be strain-relieved at different elevations, referred to herein as xe2x80x9clevels,xe2x80x9d of the cabinet before being routed to the proper connector on the appropriate patch panel. Meeting this requirement while at the same time maintaining the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable creates significant routing problems for conventional cross-connect cabinets. In particular, the amount of cable overlap makes it exceedingly difficult to locate and access a cable previously routed to a different level of the cabinet. As a result, considerable manpower, time, and effort is expended to trace (i.e., locate), disconnect, and re-route a communications cable that is to be connected to another connector on the same, or a different, level of the cross-connect cabinet.
Thus, it is apparent that a particular need exists for a partition that permits a plurality of communications cables to be routed to different levels of a cross-connect cabinet while simultaneously providing improved access to the communications cables and the cable connections. It is further apparent that a particular need exists for a partition that permits multiple communications cables entering a cross-connect cabinet at the same location to be strain relieved at different levels of the cabinet before the cables are routed to the proper connector on the appropriate patch panel. Additional features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description, or are apparent from the following description, or will be learned by practice of the invention. These objectives and other advantages of the invention are realized by the invention particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as the accompanying drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention is directed to a partition for routing a plurality of cables into an electrical cabinet. In a preferred embodiment, the partition includes a generally planar base plate and at least two routing panels depending outwardly from the base plate at longitudinally spaced apart and laterally spaced apart locations. The base plate has a forward edge, a rearward edge, a first dimension defining a longitudinal direction, and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension and defining a lateral direction. Preferably, the rearward edge of the base plate includes a series of stepped portions longitudinally spaced apart at increased lateral distances from the forward edge of the base plate. The base plate may further include a lower edge and a laterally extending first flange adjacent the lower edge for securing the partition to the electrical cabinet. Likewise, the base plate may further include a longitudinally extending second flange adjacent the forward edge for securing the partition to the electrical cabinet
Each of the routing panels includes an arcuate portion. for receiving at least one of the plurality of cables thereon. The arcuate portion has a radius greater than the minimum bend radius of the cable to prevent damage to the cable. In another preferred embodiment, as will be described, each routing panel is provided with at least one strain relief mounting point. The partition may further include at least one generally cylindrical cable spool for receiving a predetermined amount of slack of at least one of the plurality of cables thereon. The cable spool depends outwardly from the base plate and has a radius greater than the minimum bend radius of the cable to prevent damage to the cable. The cable spool includes a retaining flange spaced apart from the base plate and having a radius greater than the radius of the cable spool to securely retain the predetermined amount of slack on the cable spool.
In a particular aspect of the invention, each of the plurality of cables is a fiber optic communications cable and the electrical cabinet is a high-density cross-connect cabinet for connecting the fiber optic cables to a patch panel. At least one of the routing panels includes means for strain relieving at least one of the plurality of cables. The means for strain relieving may be conventional cable ties or Velcro(copyright) straps. However, the means for strain relieving is preferably a strain relief member mounted on the outer surface of the routing panel for receiving at least one of the fiber optic cables therein. The strain relief member includes a base and a cover hingedly attached to the base for movement between an open position and a closed position. Accordingly, a plurality of communications cables entering the cross-connect cabinet at the same location may be strain-relieved at different levels of the cabinet.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate one or several embodiments of the invention, and, together with the written description, serve to better explain and illustrate the principles of the invention.